Emma

ALEXANDER
McCALL SMITH


Alfred A. Knopf Canada
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PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF CANADA
Copyright 2014 Alexander McCall Smith
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval
systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a
reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published in 2014 by
Alfred A. Knopf Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited, a
Penguin Random House Company, and simultaneously in the United
Kingdom by HarperCollins Publishers, London. Distributed in Canada by
Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
www.penguinrandomhouse.ca
Knopf Canada and colophon are registered trademarks.
Tis book is a work of ction. Names, characters, places and incidents
either are the product of the authors imagination or are used ctitiously.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales
is entirely coincidental.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
McCall Smith, Alexander, 1948, author
Emma : a modern retelling / Alexander McCall Smith.
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-0-345-80906-3
eBook ISBN 978-0-345-80908-7
I. Title.
PR6063.C326E66 2014 823'.914 C2014-902480-0
Typeset in Andrade by Palimpsest Book Production Ltd,
Falkirk, Stirlingshire
Typographic design by Lindsay Nash
Cover art by Iain MacIntosh
Printed and bound in the United States of America
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D
earl, leloeu. legan tle icar. Ve are gatlereu
togetler lere in tle siglt ol Gou anu in tle lace ol
tlis congregation . . . Te ecloing oening ol tle
Veuuing Serice. coucleu in tle Cranmerian rose ol tle Bool
ol Common !ra,er. coulu not lut moe eer, one ol tle one
lunureu guests attenuing tle weuuing ol !salella Vooulouse
to ]oln Knigltle,. !mma listeneu to eacl woru. anu was
imresseu l, tle sleer solemnit, ol wlat sle learu: . . . wlicl
is an lonouralle estate . . . anu rst miracle le wrouglt. in
Cana ol Galilee . . . anu tlerelore is not l, an, to le enterriseu.
nor talen in lanu. unauiseul,. ligltl,. or wantonl, . . . Te
resonant language lrouglt lome to ler tle signicance ol
tle occasion. Tis was her !salella. ler sister. taling sucl an
irreocalle anu auult ste. leaing tle securit, ol ler cliluloou
lome anu enturing out as a marrieu woman. as Vrs Knigltle,.
!t was laru lor ler to accet tlat tlis was actuall, laening: it
was all so suuuen. anu so uramatic almost an eloement. lut
not quite.
Sle looleu alout ler at tle congregation almost lling tle
small orman clurcl in !igllur,. Te Knigltle, lamil, was
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6c
leu l, George. anu was well reresenteu l, an assortment ol
cousins. een il somewlat uistant ones: tlere were lewer
Vooulouses not lecause arious relaties lau leen asseu
oer. lut lecause tle, were a smaller lamil,. Ten tlere were
eole lrom tle illage: Viss Bates. an unmarrieu woman in
ler lties wlo occuieu. on a xeu rent. a cottage in tle illage.
anu wlo lieu a narrow lile in seerel, reuuceu circumstances:
]ames Veston. a wiuower wlose Georgian louse ol eiglt
leurooms was larel, a mile lrom !artelu. anu wlo lau alwa,s
leen a goou lrienu to Vr Vouelouse: Vr !err,. an exonent
ol alternatie meuicine. regarueu as a clarlatan l, some (lut
not l, Vr Vooulouse). anu lis wile. an illustrator ol euuca
tional textlools: anu a numler ol lrienus wlom !salella lau
lnown at Greslams: Rosie Slazenger. Timm, Cottesloe. Kitt,
!airweatler. !mma lnew tlem too. altlougl sle was a lew
,ears ,ounger: Vr Vooulouse lau learu tleir names lelore
anu lau met some ol tlem lrom time to time. lut coulu neer
tell wlicl one was wlicl.
Vr Vooulouse lau reconcileu limsell to !salellas cloice.
!is attemt to marr, ler o lau succeeueu. ol course. lut not
in tle wa, le lau imagineu. !e lau wanteu ler to nu a
luslanu in oruer to rotect ler. anu sle lau uone just tlat.
witl alacrit, anu uetermination. altlougl not aliglting uon
quite tle sort ol luslanu le lau enisageu lor ler. Still. it
coulu lae leen worse: anu tle most imortant consiueration.
le lnew. was ler lainess. ]oln Knigltle, maue ler la,.
Sle auoreu lim. anu as lar as Vr Vooulouse coulu male out.
tlis auoration was lull, recirocateu. Anu le acceteu tlat tle
lact tlat le lau a tattoo was lar less imortant tlan tle lact
tlat tle, were lotl la,. !is tattoo. moreoer. was a relatiel,
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6
uiscreet one. anu not sometling tlat eole woulu necessaril,
notice. altlougl it was a it,. Vr Vooulouse lelt. tlat tle lest
man sloulu cloose to mention it in lis seecl.
!mmeuiatel, alter tle weuuing sle inlormeu lim tlat sle
was tlree montls regnant. anu tlat sle was execting twins.
!mma. wlo was sixteen at tle time. greeteu tlis news witl
ueliglt. lut roclaimeu. quite sontaneousl,. ot lor me! !m
neer going to get m,sell regnant! Yucl!
Sle auuresseu tlis to Viss Ta,lor. wlo was surriseu l, tle
elemence ol ler reaction. But its a wonuerlul tling to lae
cliluren. sle saiu. You loe cliluren !e seen ,ou witl
tlose little girls in tle illage slo.
Cliluren. ,es. saiu !mma. But regnanc,. no. All tlat . . .
Sle assumeu an exression ol uisgust. All tlat lumlling.
Viss Ta,lor smileu. You sloulunt worr, alout tlat. sle
saiu. Tatll tale care ol itsell. Te imortant tling is to meet
a ,oung man wlom ,ou loe. Once tlat laens. anu ! loe
it uoes. tlen eer,tling else lumlling. anu so on will seem
quite natural.
!mma slool ler leau igorousl,. o. Viss Ta,lor uiu not
unuerstanu: low coulu sle at ler age ! uont eer want to
get marrieu. sle announceu. eer. eer. ot in a tlousanu
,ears.
Viss Ta,lor was tolerant. Villennia come rounu so quicll,.
!mma. Sle smileu again. !e alreau, exerienceu one in m,
liletime. Anu ,ou ma, tlinl tlat ol marriage now. ,ou lnow.
lut ones iews uo clange.
Vine wont. saiu !mma. witl coniction. Sle was certain:
sle lnew wlat la, aleau ol ler: sle woulu continue to le
rett,. cleer. anu ricl. Tat uiu not incluue getting marrieu:
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rett,. cleer. anu ricl eole uiu not lae to lotler witl sucl
tlings.
Ol well. saiu Viss Ta,lor. Tere are otler lilest,les. Tere
is a great ueal to le saiu lor leing single. Anu sle tlouglt:
Exactly what? ot laing to worr, alout anotler erson: not
laing to accommouate a artners wisles: not laing to
tolerate tle slow. graitational uecline ol tle esl into miuule
age anu le,onu. into tlat territor, ol sleeless niglts anu
inrmit,: not laing to listen to lamiliar iews on tle same
tlings. time alter time ot laing to have to. in slort. And
yet. sle tlouglt. if I had to choose between being a governess
and having a man . . .
!mma. laing ronounceu. now looleu tlougltlul. Ol
course. ! quite see low lots ol otler eole want to get marrieu.
! can see low its ne lor tlem. !n lact . . .
Viss Ta,lor waiteu. Yes
!ts rolall, ratler lun to lel otler eole nu tle riglt
erson. Yes. ! tlinl it must le. An iuea lau entereu ler minu.
!t was unliuuen. lut it exciteu ler. anu lau to le exresseu.
You. lor examle. Viss Ta,lor . . . Vlat alout ,ou anu ]ames
Veston
Tis was not an area into wlicl Viss Ta,lor lelt tle, sloulu
stra,. Sle was. alter all. !mmas goerness. anu tlere were
lounuaries to le olsereu. no matter low eas, anu lamiliar
tleir relationsli lau leen. !eae me out ol it. sle saiu
slarl,. Cadit quaestio.
Cadit quaestio. muttereu !mma. unuer ler lreatl. Sed
quaestio manet. Sle lau asleu ler !atin teacler at sclool lor
a suitalle reluttal to cadit quaestio. anu sle lau saiu tlat one
miglt retort: But the question still remains. anu tlat coulu le
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renuereu sed quaestio manet. Tat was to ut it siml,. sle
exlaineu. Simpliciter. !mma loeu !atin lecause it gae ler
a sort ol ower. At sclool sle lau tosseu a !atin lrase at a
lo, wlo lau leen staring at ler in a uisconcerting wa,. anu
le lau leen crusleu tlere was onl, one woru lor it: crusleu.
Oer tle next coule ol ,ears. !salella was more or less
constantl, regnant: so mucl so tlat Vr Vooulouse lounu it
emlarrassing to lae to answer enquiries as to low lis eluer
uauglter was. Te usual answer to tlis now was siml,
regnant or regnant again lut tlis legan to sounu almost
laintl, uisaroing as il le were somelow censorious
ol ler singlelanueu eorts to reuress tle uemogralic
imlalance. !e uisaroeu ol excessie lecunuit, on tle
grounus tlat oeroulation ineitall, createu conuitions in
wlicl microles ourisleu. Te more tlere are ol us. le saiu.
tle more we inite tle sreau ol inlection. Sueruous luman
oulation leaus to enironmental uegrauation. anu tlat leaus
to unlealtl, water sources. Tat. in turn. encourages tle
rolileration ol waterlorne uisease.
!e wrote alout tlis in a letter to tle local aer. anu tle
euitor olligeu l, rinting lis letter rominentl, unuer tle
leauing: A Varning. !e lau loeu tlat tlis woulu leau to
a liel, uelate in tle columns ol tle newsaer. lut it uiu not.
Tere lau leen one or two letters on tle sulject. incluuing
one lrom a reauer wlo saiu: But tlis is natures wa,. surel,.
ol utting us in our lace. Anu roll on tle ua, wlen tle next
u eiuemic leaus to a major culling ol our secies. Tat lau
urawn more resonses tlan Vr Vooulouses original contri
lution. !ts all er, well lor ,ou. wrote one corresonuent in
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6
tle newsaer. You lae access to antiliotics. Vlat alout
all tlose oor eole wlo uont lae an, antiliotics Vlat
alout tlem
Vr Vooulouse lau slalen lis leau oer tlis letter. Vlen
woulu eole learn tlat antiliotics were useless against iruses.
anu tlat enicillin woulu not lae maue all tlat mucl uier
ence to tle raages ol Sanisl !nuenza otler tlan leling
witl inciuental ulmonar, inlections !e lau trieu to exlain
tle matter to Vrs !irlill on numerous occasions. lut tle
message lau neer got tlrougl. anu sle continueu to sa, tlat
tle lest treatment lor a colu was a course ol antiliotics.
But tlat issue. serious tlougl it was. was onl, inciuental
to tle main question ol oeroulation. to wlicl lis er,
own uauglter was contriluting so entlusiasticall,. Te rst
regnanc, lrouglt twins: two lo,s. anu tle, were lolloweu at
tle slortest ossille liological interal tlerealter l, a lurtler
set ol twins. tlis time girls. Vlile tlis entlusiastic lreeuing
rogramme was leing ursueu in !onuon. lacl in orloll
!mma continueu to attenu Greslams. At last tle time came
lor ler to leae. anu sle was urien awa, lrom tle sclool one
alternoon. zeugmaticall,. in oous ol tears anu tle siler
Verceues.
! leel so sill,. cr,ing lile tlis. saiu !mma.
!ts not sill, at all. saiu Viss Ta,lor. ! crieu wlen ! lelt
sclool in !uinlurgl. ! crieu wlen ! lelt St Anurews. !t woulu
le unnatural not to cr, in sucl circumstances. !t woulu
uemonstrate. ! tlinl. a certain inuierence to searation lrom
lace. lrom lrienus.
Tis set !mma o witl reneweu weeing. All m, lrienus.
sle solleu. Bett, Slazenger. tle name leing uttereu as il it
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were reuolent ol ainlul uisaster. as are tle names Titanic.
Gallioli. or tle Somme.
Rosies sister asleu Viss Ta,lor.
!mma nouueu miserall,. Anu !ia. !arr,. !llie.
Youll see tlem again. saiu Viss Ta,lor. You neeunt lose
toucl. !salella still sees Rosie Slazenger anu Kitt,. too. !
leliee.
!mma wet not just lecause sle was leaing ler lrienus.
sle wet lecause it was tle enu ol a worlu tle lriel. temo
rar, worlu ol sclool tlat we neer leel is lriel or temorar,
until it is suuuenl, oer. But ler regret uiu not last lor long as
Viss Ta,lor lau lanneu a lus, summer lor ler: tle, enrolleu.
as lellow stuuents. on a tlreeweel course sonsoreu l, tle
Victoria anu Allert Vuseum. Te !nglisl !ouse tlrougl Tree
Centuries. Te, went togetler on a lortniglts tri to !lorence
anu Siena a tri to wlicl Vr Vooulouse was eentuall,
ersuaueu to accet anu nance. alter a great ueal ol anxious
lanuwringing anu warning alout tle uangers ol traelling in
!tal,. wlere tle men. le saiu. were reuator, to a uegree tlat
we in !nglanu siml, cannot comrelenu: wlere tle uriers
were quite witlout concern lor otler roau users: anu wlere
een tle oliticians were eitler certiall, insane or
unaslameul, criminal.
Te, returneu to !nglanu unscatleu l, an, ol tlese uangers
altlougl !mma uiu lae ler lag snatcleu in !lorence l, a
uwarl on a motor scooter (! warneu ,ou. m, uear: ! warneu
,ou. saiu Vr Vooulouse). !t was not tlis inciuent. tlougl.
tlat stucl in Viss Ta,lors memor,. lut sometling altogetler
uierent sometling tlat sloweu a siue to !mmas claracter
tlat eole olten uiu not see. lut tlat. in Viss Ta,lors iew
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66
at least. was tle real !mma. Within us all, tlouglt tle
goerness. there is often more than one person, more than
one self. Sle lau een uiscusseu tle sulject witl !mma tlere
was no oint talling to !salella alout sucl matters. as sle was
gien to ,awning ostentatiousl,. tlougl genuinel,. wlen
matters ol tle minu were raiseu. !mma. tlougl. lau listeneu
as Viss Ta,lor tolu ler alout !latos lamous clariot.
Te clariot is tle soul. sle saiu. slaling ler nger gentl,
into tle etler as il to inoint tle insulstantial. Te clariot.
,ou see. is urien l, a clarioteer lut is ulleu l, two lorses
one uarl anu one liglt. Te uarl lorse reresents all tle
lrute aetites concuiscence anu so on . . . Sle auseu.
Concuiscence is to uo witl lust.
!mma closeu ler e,es. Vas concuiscence reall, wlat tle,
calleu lust in !uinlurgl
An,wa,. continueu Viss Ta,lor. tle two lorses tlat ull tle
clariot are ol oosite inclination. Te liglt lorse is to uo witl
tle ner tlings: awareness ol otlers. generosit,. ciilisation tle
ner siue ol our natures. in otler worus. Te jol ol tle clarioteer
is to larness tle energ, ol tle uarl lorse anu to male sure tlat
tle liglt lorse is not ulleu uownwarus l, its comanion.
!mma looleu at ler goerness. imagining ler. lile Boauicea.
in commanu ol a clariot. Anu tlen sometling lau occurreu
tlat uistracteu tlem: a telelone rang. anu Viss Ta,lor lor a
moment or two seemeu to le tlinling alout wletler to ignore
it or answer it. ler clariot lor an instant oiseu letween tle
cloice ol ascenuing or uescenuing. !t ascenueu anu sle went
to answer it. lut it was tle enu ol tle clariot conersation.
Anu tlen. in Siena. on tleir !talian tri. wlile Viss Ta,lor
sat at a talle in tle slellslaeu !iazza uel Camo. looling
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uown on to tle lowl ol tle slell. !mma uetacleu lersell lrom
ler goerness lor a lew minutes wlile tle, were waiting lor
tleir oruer ol coee to le lullleu: anu lounu lersell in a small
siue street lineu witl slos selling Sienese ceramics. One slo
winuow lau cauglt ler e,e lor tle sleer leaut, ol a lowl tlat
it was uisla,ing. Tis lowl was wlite anu lemon,ellow in its
colouring. Arounu its siues were glazeu gures ol ,oung men
in Renaissance costume icling lruit. wlile a troulauour
lucleu at a stringeu instrument. A lunting uog. its lacl
arcleu. as tle lacls ol sucl uogs so olten are. ranceu reau,
lor tle ursuit ol some creature not slown. !mma stoeu
anu stareu. anu tlen entereu tle slo lesitantl,.
!ilteen minutes later sle was lacl witl Viss Ta,lor. wlo
remonstrateu witl ler. as tle coee was getting colu.
! legan mine. ! coulunt wait.
!mma ignoreu ler cu. You lae to come witl me. sle
saiu. ! lae to slow ,ou sometling.
Viss Ta,lor slool ler leau. !m not leaing until ! lae
nisleu m, coee. You cant just leae sucl a leautilul lace
anu uasl o somewlere on a wlim.
Sle waiteu imatientl, until Viss Ta,lor was alle to accom
an, ler lacl to tle slo. Te winuow now lau a large sace
wlere tle lowl lau leen.
Tese laces . . . legan Viss Ta,lor. lut was silenceu l,
tle eusie greeting ol tle rorietor.
!t is lere. le saiu. Ten ! will acl it anu senu it oer lor
,ou. Ve guarantee its sale arrial.
Sale arrial ol wlat asleu Viss Ta,lor.
Te lowl was rouuceu anu laceu on tle glass surlace
ol tle counter. Eccolo! saiu tle rorietor.
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68
Viss Ta,lor reacleu out anu toucleu tle rim. You unuer
stanu. sle muttereu.
!ts lor ,ou. saiu !mma. !ts lor ,ou. lrom me.
!t transireu tlat sle lau sent ler entire senuing allow
ance on tle gilt anu uuring tle remainuer ol tleir tri to !tal,
sle woulu le alle to lu, notling excet essentials.
! uont care. sle saiu. Cadit quaestio.
Tere was no arguing witl tle nalit, ol cadit quaestio, anu
Viss Ta,lor. wlo lau introuuceu tle lrase. ol course lnew
tlat. Sle lnew. too. tlat tlere was a time to accet gilts. een
tle most extraagant ones. anu to clerisl tlem. Sle reacleu
out anu tool !mmas lanu anu lnew. at tlat moment. wlat
tle true nature ol ler ,oung clarge was. But tlen sle tlouglt
ol tle clariot anu tle two clarioteers. anu sle lowereu ler
e,es anu loeu.
Once lacl. tlere was uniersit, to tlinl alout. anu tle
clallenges ol tle uecoratie arts course at tle Lniersit, ol
Batl on wlicl sle lau leen oereu a lace. Te cloice ol Batl
lau surriseu Vr Vooulouse. wlo saiu tlat le lau not een
lnown tlere was a uniersit, tlere. Viss Ta,lor lau leen more
encouraging. een il sle lau ler reserations: sle woulu lae
relerreu St Anurews. wlicl was. sle ointeu out. a mere six
lunureu ,ears oluer. ot tlat tlese tlings matter all tlat
mucl. sle saiu. in sucl a wa, as to inuicate tlat tle, mattereu
a great ueal.
!or otlers. tlougl anu tlis incluueu ler teaclers at
Greslams Batl somelow seemeu a natural lace lor !mma
to cloose. altlougl it woulu le uicult to sa, exactl, wl, tlis
was so. Sles tlat sort ol girl. saiu tle !nglisl teacler enig
maticall,. Slell t. Anu tlen. as an altertlouglt. exresseu
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as il onl, to lersell. !erlas sle las Bathos. Tis relerence
eluueu tle clemistr, teacler. wlo siml, remarleu. regretlull,.
Sle neer graseu clemistr,. ! trieu. ,ou lnow. lut sle neer
graseu it.
Te course was certainl, iueal: !mma lau long leen inter
esteu in atterns. wletler in wallaer. carets. or in clotling.
!or ler lourteentl lirtlua, sle lau leen gien a lool on tle
worl ol !uwaru Bawuen. anu lau resonueu immeuiatel, anu
instinctiel, to lis ictures ol tle !nglisl countr,siue all
lougl lorses anu wa,siue uls witl susenueu loaru signs:
all elus ol wleat anu olulaslioneu tractors: all oen slies anu
wis, clouus. Sle trieu to imitate lis st,le. anu tlat ol Railious
anu tle asles. succeeuing sucientl, to le encourageu l,
ler art teacler to ersist: lut wlat sle reall, lileu were
Bawuenesque lalrics anu wallaers. Sle coulu gaze at tlese
lor lours. luxuriating in triangles anu trompe loeil.
Sle lau not gien mucl tlouglt to tle neeu to worl Vr
Vooulouse lau neer mentioneu tle sulject to lis uauglters
lut !mma was lar lrom laz, anu sle lelt tlat il sle lau a
uestin, it was in worling witl uesigns lile tlese. Sle coulu
start o as an interior uecorator anu rogress to uesigning ler
own curtains anu wallaer: sle woulu create lalrics lor solas
anu leusreaus. !t was amlitious. lut clear enougl. at least.
lor ler to nu a course tlat woulu equi ler to uo just tlis.
!er lrienus agreeu. !mma Vooulouse Designs. saiu one.
Brilliant. Te name worls. !mma it reall, uoes.
ow tlat !mma was awa, at uniersit,. tle question ol Viss
Ta,lors continuing emlo,ment at !artelu coulu larul, le
aoiueu. Viss Ta,lor lersell lau trieu to raise tle sulject seeral
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times een lelore !mma lelt. lut lau leen lolleu o l, Vr
Vooulouse. wlo eitler quicll, clangeu tle sulject or. wlen
more uelileratel, cornereu l, tle goerness. ut it o until
later tlat ua,. Ten. ol course. le laileu to return to it or
manageu to ensure tlat le was not arounu at a time wlen it
coulu le uiscusseu. !t was olious tlat le was reluctant lor ler
to leae. anu tlat le siml, wanteu tle normal routine ol tle
louse to continue as it alwa,s lau. een il tlere was notling
lor ler to uo. Tere was no reason wl, le sloulu not continue
to a, ler le larul, noticeu ler salar, going out ol lis account
eacl montl. anu. an,wa,. tlere was not er, mucl lor lim to
senu lis mone, on. gien tlat le rarel,. il eer. lelt tle louse.
Disinclination to uiscuss a sulject tlat neeus to le uiscusseu
is neer a solution: tle toic merel, assumes increasing romi
nence tle longer it remains untoucleu. !er, conersation
tlat is tlen emlarleu uon. een il on a totall, unrelateu
sulject. will le conuucteu in tle lear tlat it miglt suuuenl,
le interruteu l, tle lorliuuen issue: eer, ause miglt le
reau as a sign tlat wlat las leen unsaiu so lar miglt now
suuuenl, le saiu. !entuall,. ol course. tle strain tells. anu
tle matter can le ut o no more.
V, osition. llurteu out Viss Ta,lor one morning as sle
sat at tle lreallast talle witl Vr Vooulouse.
On wlat le relieu. Your osition on wlat !t was a
ueserate. lastuitcl attemt to eaue tle issue.
o. sle saiu rml,. You lnow wlat !m talling alout: m,
osition lere at !artelu. You ma, lae olsereu tlat !mma
is no longer lere.
Tere were untaeu wells ol uenial. But sle is! le
exclaimeu. Sles awa, at uniersit, uuring tle term. anu tlen
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sle comes lacl. !ow can sle le saiu to le awa, wlen sle
alwa,s comes lacl !l ! go to !onuon lor a ua, or two anu
tlen return. ! can larul, le saiu to le no longer lere.
!t was an imrolalle examle. Vr Vooulouse lau not leen
to !onuon lor eiglt ,ears. anu sloweu no signs ol clanging
lis iews on tle unuesiralilit, ol eer uoing so.
Sle is eectiel, now in Batl lor more weels ol tle ,ear
tlan sle is lere. saiu Viss Ta,lor. !n m, iew tlat means tlat
sle now lies in Batl. Anu an,wa,. sles eiglteen. anu an
eiglteen,earolu uoes not neeu a goerness.
!e looleu at ler witl uisma,. But eiglteen is so ,oung.
le saiu. Rememler wlat we were lile at eiglteen Ve lnew
so little.
Viss Ta,lor slool ler leau. Tats not tle wa, eiglteen
,earolus lool at it. Vlen ,oure eiglteen ,ou imagine ,ou lnow
eer,tling. An eiglteen,earolu will not accet guiuance. !
can assure ,ou.
But !mma uoesnt lae a motler. saiu Vr Vooulouse.
Youre tle closest tling sles lau to a motler since m,
wile uieu. !l ,ou were to leae . . . !e lelt tle sentence
unlinisleu: een tlis l,otletical tall ol uearture maue
lim leel lerelt.
But ! cant sit lere anu retenu to le a goerness wlen
lotl m, clarges lae grown u. sle saiu. !t just uoesnt male
sense.
!ts ,our !resl,terian laclgrounu. muttereu Vr Vooulouse.
Sle stareu at lim. Vlat las tle Clurcl ol Scotlanu got to
uo witl it ! lranll, uo not see tle connection.
!l ,ou were a Catlolic. saiu Vr Vooulouse. ,ou woulu
lae no uicult, witl tle iuea ol sitting arounu anu uoing
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.
notling. Tat las neer leen a rollem lor Catlolicism: it is
onl, tle !rotestant outlool tlat males us leel guilt, alout not
leing lus,.
Ol. reall,. sle legan. tlis is notling to uo witl ]oln Knox.
or Calin lor tlat matter.
! leg ,ou to sta,. le continueu. ! leg ,ou. Viss Ta,lor. !l
,ou were to leae. tlen !mma woulu leel tlat a ital art ol
ler lome lile was lost to ler. ! lnow tlat sounus extreme. lut
it reall, is true. You reresent stalilit, to ler. You reresent
lome.
Sle stareu uown at tle oor. aoiuing lis anguisleu gaze.
!t woulu le easier to sta, tlan to leae: sle woulu not lae all
tle lotler ol looling lor a new jol wlo wanteu goernesses
tlese ua,s anu sle lau to conceue tlat !artelu was
extremel, comlortalle. Te salar, was generous. too. anu since
sle uiu not lae to a, lor ler loaru or lor an,tling else
lor tlat matter it woulu enalle ler to continue to luilu u
ler saings. now stanuing at a total ol eiglt,seen tlousanu
ounus. Reauing tlat gure. recorueu on ler quarterl, state
ments ol account. lleu ler witl leasure: a goerness lau to
lool alter lersell anu to ensure tlat sle uiu not nu lersell.
at sixt,. enniless anu lomeless. Anu tlat meant saing. anu
not inuulging onesell in nonessentials. unless. ol course. a
luslanu sloulu materialise anu lring witl lim nancial
securit,. But luslanus. sle reecteu. uiu not aear tlat easil,:
tlere were lent, ol women wlo lieu in loe tlat a luslanu
miglt suuuenl, uescenu: tlat tle, miglt uraw lacl tle curtains
one morning anu see. stanuing outsiue tleir winuow. a
luslanu: or tlat tle, miglt tale a seat on tle train to worl
anu nu tlemseles sitting next to . . . a luslanu. Tat
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laeneu. ol course. lor some. lut lor otlers it uiu not. no

matter low laru tle, wisleu. anu no matter low mucl tle,
uesereu a luslanu.
Vr Vooulouse suuuenl, lriglteneu. !e lau an iuea. le
saiu. !e alwa,s tlouglt ! neeueu a secretar,. !e looleu at
Viss Ta,lor witl tle air ol one alout to male an imortant
announcement. You coulu le m, secretar, tle a, anu
conuitions woulu le exactl, tle same. lut tle jol uescrition
woulu le uierent. You woulu not lae to worr, alout leing
goerness to a ,oung woman wlo was awa, mucl ol tle time.
!e maue a gesture ol sulication. !lease sa, ,es. Anne.
Sle lau leen alout to conceue. witl a suitalle slow ol
reluctance. tlat sle sloulu continue as goerness. lut tlis new
secretarial ost wlicl sle lnew was almost certainl, a sine
cure woulu uo as well.
All riglt. sle saiu. ! accet. Sle auseu. Vlat will tle
uuties le
!or a lew moments le looleu llanl. lut tlen le smileu anu
saiu. Secretarial.
Sle nouueu. Tere was no neeu to uiscuss tle matter lurtler.
as eer,tling. sle imagineu. woulu le exactl, tle same as it
alwa,s lau leen. Anu tlat. ol course. was wlat Vr Vooulouse
wisleu lor aloe all else. anu wlat Viss Ta,lor. lor want ol
an,tling letter. was reareu to accet.
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